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A buffer gas is an inert or nonflammable gas. In the Earth's atmosphere, nitrogen acts as a buffer gas. A buffer gas adds pressure to a system and controls the speed of combustion with any oxygen present. Any inert gas such as helium, neon, or argon will serve as a buffer gas.
A buffer gas usually consists of atomically inert gases such as helium,[1][2] argon, or nitrogen.[3] Krypton, neon, and xenon are also used, primarily for lighting.[citation needed] In most scenarios, buffer gases are used in conjunction with other molecules for the main purpose of causing collisions with the other co-existing molecules.
Buffer gases are commonly used in many applications from high pressure discharge lamps to reduce line width of microwave transitions in alkali atoms.